Wrecking-tool.



J. E. STEVENSON.

WRECKING TOOL.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 8. 1914.

1, 1 70,0 1 6 Patented Feb. 1, 1916.

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THE COLUMBIA PLANOGRAPH 50., WASHINGTON; n. c.

JAMES E. STEVENSON, OF PUYALLUP, WASHINGTON.

WRECKING-TOOL.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, James E. STEVENSON, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Puyallup, in the county of Pierce, State of lVashington, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Wrecking- Tools, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to tools for removing boards from structures, without breaking the boards and has for its objects to provide such a device which will pull upward on the board without bending it between its sides, thus applying the entire force on the tool to the nails and thus saving the board, and to provide such a device which will remove tongue-and-grooved flooring without injuring the boards or their interlocking parts.

Other objects are to provide a device which can be used on boards of various thicknesses and widths, which will. be strong and light enough for use either on floors or on walls, and which is cheap to make and easy to operate.

I attain these and other objects by the devices, mechanisms, and arrangements illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a side elevation of my device in use, the floor being shown in section and composed of wide boards; Fig. 2 is a partial View showing the device in use with narrower boards; Fig. 3 is an end elevation of the device in use, the floor being shown in section; and Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 1 showing it in use in removing tongue-andgroove flooring.

Similar numerals of reference refer to similar parts throughout the several views.

The boards 1 are secured to the joists 2 and are to be removed therefrom without splitting the boards. A frame 3, preferably consisting of two channel irons secured togather with a space between them, is provided at each end with a foot. The foot 4 at one end is longer than the foot 5 at the other end, the said foot 4: being adapted to rest on the joist 2. The foot 5 has a removable shoe 6 which normally rests on the unremoved boards 1. The frame 3 spans over the boards to be removed and is raised a ,sufficient distance above them so that the boards can be given the required lift by the tool. The shoe 6 is secured to the foot 5 by any desired means, such as a hook and Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 1, 1916.

Application filed September 8, 1914. Serial No. 860,555.

bolt as shown. Two contact plates 7 are secured across the top of the frame 3 one on each side of the operating lever. A guide block 8 is secured between the parts of the frame 3 and a second guide block 9 is also secured therebetween in parallel spaced relationship to said block 8, said block 9 extending down below the frame. The two blocks 8 and 9 form a vertical guide passage in which the board engaging tool works. This tool consists of a vertical shank 10 extending downward from the frame and terminating at its lower end in an arm 11 which passes under the board to be raised. In Fig. l the tool is removing a board substantially as wide as the length of the arm, but in Fig. 2 a narrower board is being removed. In this latter case the stop 12 is turned up to engage the edge of the narrower board, thus preventing the end of the arm 11 from engaging under the next board. The stop 12 may be placed in any one of a number of positions as desired, as shown in the drawing. The shank 10 extends above the frame 3 and is engaged by the operating handle. The handle 13 is mounted in a forked socket 14 which passes to each side of the shank 10 to which it is pivotally secured by a bolt 15. Fulcrum arms 16 extend in two opposite directions from the socket and engage the contact plates 7 and slide thereon. The handle 13 may therefore be operated on either side of the shank as may be convenient. The shank may be extended upward so that the bolt 15 may be shifted, thus lowering the arm 11 in relation to the frame and enabling it to be applied to pieces of special form between the joists.

My improved device is operated in the following manner :The frame is placed with one foot 4 on the joist and the shoe 6 on the boards, while the arm 11 is inserted under the board to be removed until the edge of the board engages the shank 10 or the stop 12; then the handle 13 is pressed down so that the corresponding plate 7 is engaged by the fulcrum arm 16 and further pressure on the handle forces the shank 10 and arm 11 upward with a strictly parallel movement, thus drawing any and all nails with which the board is fastened at that joist. The tool is then removed to the next joist and the operation repeated until the entire length of board has been removed from the joist. If, however, the boards are dovetailed together as in ordinary flooring, I

nating the strain on the tongues by giving a slight turning motion to the third board before its tongue connection With the fourth board is raised. The motion is then stopped and the tool removed to the next joint, thus acting on the Whole length of the firstboard before further raising the second bOill'Cl'Ol' straining the joint between thecthird and fourth boards- Then when the said first board is thus removedthe same action is repeated on the second board, only this time the fourth boardis slightly turned. Having described my invention vvhat I claimis: up

1. In a Wrecking tool, the combination of a frame; of a pair offeet depending from its ends Whereby it is raised above the board to be removed, one of .said feet being shorter than the other; a shoe removably secured. to the shorter foot; a tool depending from the frame and engaging under theboard to be removed; and an operating lever pivoted to the ,tooland: having a fulcrum slidably en-. gaging the frame and adapted to raise the tool 2. In a Wrecking tool, the combination of a frame; of a pair of feet depending from its ends whereby it is raised above the board to be removed, one ofsaid feet being shorter than the other; a shoe removab1y-secured to the shorter foot; there being a guide passage formedin said frame; a tool mountedin said guide passage,-and guided there by, and depending from the frame and engaging under theboard tobe removed; and an operating leverpivoted to thetool and Copies of this patent may be obtained for having a fulcrum 'slidably engaging the" frame and adapted to raise the too 3. In a Wrecking tool, the combination of a frame;=a pair of feet depending from its ends whereby it is raised above the board to be'removed, one of said feet being shorter than the other; a shoe removably secured to the shorter foot; a guide passage formed in said frame; atool mounted in said guide passage, and guided thereby, and depending from the frame and engaging under the board to be removed; a stop mounted on said tOOlz-flhd adapted to engage the edge of the board tobeyremoved to limit the position of i board to be removed; a stop mounted on said tool and adapted to engage the edge of the board to be removed tolimit the position ofsaid tool thereunder; a socket pivotallyconnected to said tool above said frame; a fulcrum'arm extending from said socket and adaptedto engage-the frame; and an operating handle mounted in said socket and. extending therefrom.

i JAMES'E. STEVENSON.

lVitnesses:

" M; MURRAY, 0. iO LSONiI five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Pat ents. Wash1ngton,-D,c,. a 

